


The Sixth Blight- Prologue- Sharing Of Information Brings Friendship

by BelleWrites (sunleyemrys)



Series: The Sixth Blight RP [15]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: AU, OC, Role-Playing Game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-07-02 04:32:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15789021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunleyemrys/pseuds/BelleWrites
Summary: Big ass project to turn the collaborative role play writing I've been doing with a group of friends into a cohesive story. Some things will be edited from the original posts.. but this is largely just cleaning it up and putting everything in order. Each major plot point will be its own post with chapters. Hopefully the story will make sense.This is the final piece of the Prologue! I'm so happy to see this part finished! On to Chapter One!





	The Sixth Blight- Prologue- Sharing Of Information Brings Friendship

Andryanna blushed a little at Tiberius holding her hand just a touch too long but was glad to see him fully mended. "I dunno, despite the blood, it kind gave your face a bit more character not that you werent, um, pleasing to begin with."

Feeling her face heat up, she turned her head to hide in her hair a bit, gesturing to Gisele. "My quarters have an empty adjoining room, if you dont mind me keeping strange hours. We can get you settled in there, and if the higher ups decide to move you later, well that can be arranged as well."

She lead them both down the hallway to her quarters, pushing the heavy door open and striding to the latched door to the adjoining room and opening the door. "Its not much, but the rooms are dry and clean, and unless you want to, no one makes you share. Which, growing up in the Circle, even after my Harrowing I had to share rooms with three other women."

Andie grinned at Tiberius, "And they wondered why I practically slept in the library."

Gisele looked with concern towards Sares but knew it was best to leave him to rest. The sick Templar at worst appeared to be sullen and brooding, and Sares was used to handling his kind. She looked towards Andie and the other young warden. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Andie," she smiled and shook her hand with both of hers. As the young man talked she noticed the two Wardens still touching hands and felt an unexpected pang of jealousy. She quickly dismissed the feeling and looked back towards the group. "Yes, let's leave our friends to rest." She looked towards Sares placing a hand on his shoulder, "I will come to check on you later and will try not to be too far away."

The three of them walked out into the hallway gently closings the door behind them. They had received some stern looks from the healer and tried to not be too disruptive. Once out of the infirmary Gisele followed Andie who lead them to her quarters. As she looked upon the room that was to be hers, at least temporarily, she was slightly dumbfounded, "I've never had a bedroom. I shared a room and bed with most of my family growing up and since then... just slept in barns, store rooms, sometimes a spare cot if I was lucky." She turned towards Andie with gratefulness almost brimming to tears, "this is so wonderful, thank you." And here, this plucky sweet woman was being so generous, she needed to offer something in return. "And, I would be honored to help you with your tests. I have some experience with carrying out experiments, but mostly with plants. I am a competent healer, so I hope I can be useful. And please let me know if you would like your room back. I don't want to be a bother." She looked at the young man whose nose was now bleeding slightly, "let me address the last bit of your injury. Seems the potion helped but not fully." Gisele placed her hands on the young man's nose and adjusted her fingers to make sure it set correctly. The glow of magic lit up their faces for a short while and faded as she pulled away. "That should do it!" she said, delighted.

For the second time in half an hour, a beautiful woman was inside Tiberius’ reach with gentle fingers on his face. Granted, it was all to fuss over his nose... maybe he would have to thank Gwyn for his damn violent tendencies sometime. “By the way, Gisele, I’m Tiberius. And thank you again for the magic, I really do love having a working nose.”

He stood awkwardly as Gisele and Andie went back to gushing over their magical studies and their room. The two women could not have looked more different: one short, blonde, in a crisp military uniform and the other tall, with dark hair and skin peeking out from rough homespun robes. Yet they shared a connection over their magical arts that Tiberius could only dream about. He rubbed his fingers over the parchment he’d snuck into his pocket- his name, the first word he’d ever read. It was a start, but these two mages had a lifetime of knowledge and experience on him.

He absentmindedly ran his fingers over the writing supplies on Andie’s desk. “Given the fact that I can’t understand any of that magical gibberish you’re talking, I’d say you two will be able to fix our Templar up in no time. Good thing, too,” he said. “We need Gwyn to keep an eye on us!”

Andie scoffed, pushing her curtain hair over her shoulders. "Maybe he can watch you. I'm done being babysat by Templars." She dug into her bag, emptying its contents onto her bed, pulling out the notebook she had been writing in.

Flipping through the pages she quickly filled Gisele in on the strange reaction and the possible causes, her fast fingers skipping over the saved pages of Tiberius's writing attempts with a small blush.

She'd teach him to read and to love learning like she did. She knew it.

"Sorry, I've been chattering away and you are probably exhausted and starving. But I will say, the library here is amazing, its so old and full of things I highly doubt there is a proper catalog of its contents. So much to translate and learn. Very exciting!" She smiled brightly at Gisele and Tiberius.

"And you're going to help me, right Tiberius? Research assistant?" She giggled and winked at the man standing awkwardly in the room.

Finally having someone to talk about magic with in such a comfortable, open fashion was amazing, it was like a damn flooding. Luckily, Andie was enthusiastic and very willing to discuss the growing list of magical oddities she wanted to converse about. Tiberius was very patient. The handsome young warden stood there, somewhat awkwardly fidgeting, but still with a slight smile on his face, as they went on and on.

Andie shared so much with her so quickly, she was flattered. It was easy to talk with someone so open and engaging. Her big expressive blue eyes made her energy contagious and it was obvious why Tiberius was smitten with her. Imagining what a sweet couple they would make, Gisele felt the same pangs of jealousy she had before but tried not to think of it. "Let me know what you want to research first! I'll try to study the topic before we work on it." Gisele pause, "Andie, I may need your help. I can read and write well enough, my parents and teacher made sure of that, but I'm not well educated like you. I don't even know how to use a library, can I ask you for help or just to show me around?" Her stomach audibly rumbled, "I would love some food as well."

"Gisele, around here we live for food. If you're sure you want to let her drag you right into this, I can beg some dinner off the cooks and meet you in the library. And don't listen to her when she calls me research assistant, the best I can do is tell you a 'T' from a 'D' and pick things off high shelves." He joked about it, but it was amazing how much higher his spirits were for knowing even so little. He tugged both women into the hallway and set off in the general direction of the library. A thought occurred to him. He spun to walk backwards, watching Gisele's face.

"Say, Gisele, you're from the Anderfels? But even they don't normally come this far out into the wastes. What brought you and Sares to the Wardens anyway?" he asked. She seemed so genuine and kind, but her arrival out of nowhere and in such strange company made him curious about her.

Andie laughed, “Don’t sell yourself short, Tiberius! You are doing really well for just starting.” She stood on her toes and tapped his forehead with a finger, “I’ll make a researcher of you yet!”

“Yeah Gisele! What’s an, I assume, an apostate doing with a Circle mage this far out? Perplexing to say the least.” She linked her arm through Gisele’s, grinning at Tiberius.

“You don’t mind grabbing dinner for us? I don’t want you to feel like an errand boy or something, you’re an equal partner in this.” Concern crosses her face, she felt a little guilty having him run around for them.

"Oh! Well..." Gisele considered whether she should tell them why she was there. The matter was sensitive, but she would need help for her quest and they could potentially help her. If she was going to recruit them they needed to have some information. She looked around to make sure they were relatively alone, "I was asked by my former teacher to find something that could help the wardens against the blight. I have a map and a document I need to get translated." She stopped walking and looked at the two of them, "Sares said he would help but I may need others. We met in Hossberg and he was kind enough to not hand me over to the Circle."

Gisele chuckled at Tiberus's comment about the wastes, "I've been travelled through more remote areas than this many times. That's the only reason I've never been caught. Most of my life I've travelled to gather information on how to counteract the effects of the blight on plant growth from the remote farmers throughout the Anderfels. I usually do some healing or other magical assistance, sometimes to help their crops, to repay them for food, shelter, and their knowledge. It's been a rewarding life." Thinking upon the grateful Anders men and women she had helped, selectively forgetting the many rejections she had also recieved, made her smile. However, the thought followed with a wave of sadness she couldn't explain.

Andryanna perked up, “translated? I can translate things! Lemme see!” She practically bounced next to Gisele.

“Wait, you went to the Circle first? And they sent you here for a translator? They sent you to me! What language is the document written in? Orlesian? Ferelden? Elven? Ancient Tevene?”

She kept rattling off languages and chattering excitedly. “Just don’t ask me speak them, since I struggle to say the words, but written language is a puzzle and I like puzzles.”

Andie grinned and grasped Tiberius’s arm, “I get to translate something! Ima show you how translation works! Yay!”

Tiberius paled. “Wait I thought we were still practicing the alphabet? Now you’re starting me on new languages? Gisele what have you done?” He grinned at her to set her at ease.

“A map and a secretive quest sound like fun,” he continued. “Perhaps you can convince the First Warden to send some of us with you, especially if this has to do with the Blight. We fought some darkspawn recently; I can believe we need all the help we can get.”

They reached a crossroads, library to the left up the stairs and Great Hall to the right. “I’ll go steal us something to eat, send runners if I don’t return safely soon.” He waved and set off alone. He was starting to feel at peace here, strangely enough. He’d been shoved from place to place his entire life, never really feeling in control of his fate. It was almost liberating to be so tied to this new group of people and new purpose. They could hardly get rid of a sworn Warden. Sure, he couldn’t stop himself from being pulled into trouble, but for once he didn’t mind.

The empty hallways were lit with warm torchlight, leading him to the smells of food and sounds of company. His stomach growled. He was always ravenous now. Tiberius could hardly wait to fill his arms with food and get back to the library. He chuckled again at the absurdity. He had a home now, and friends who believed in him. All it took was joining a death cult. Andraste works in mysterious ways, he thought, and strode into the great hall.

Gisele rummaged through her pack to get the leather pouch with her documents. "Its in Ancient Tevene. I'll show you in the library once we are in a more secure place." Looking around, wardens were walking around at a distance, but no one close enough to listen. "I'm supposed to show the Tevinter mages who we first met the documents tomorrow, but if you can help me now... maybe that would be best." Gisele was uncomfortable around the two mages and the idea of knowing enough about the documents to make sure they could not trick her was comforting. Andie seemed much more trustworthy.

Tiberius split ways with them to gather some food and as Gisele and Andie walked to the library. The large heavy doors opened into a cavern of a room. Tall bookshelves with ladders lined the walls and large stacks filled the room. Great candelabras hung from the ceiling, although only a few were lit, and they filled the room with a soft, warm light. They moved to the back of the room to settle down into a large wooden table. Gisele was awed by the number of books, having only seen a few at any given time. It was rare that Anders families even had more than one, that one usually being the Chant. Once they sat down Gisele opened up her pouch with the documents. Selecting the one written in Ancient Tevene she handed it to Andie. "I think this one is supposed to tell us what to do, or how to find the artifact," she said, "but here is the map." Gisele flattened the paper out so they could observe its contents more clearly.

Andie unfolded the pages, "Its written in code, because of course it is. This will take more time to translate." She pulled out her journal and quill, making a few notes already.

"I can pick out a few words already, but its gibberish until I find the cipher. Unless we are in search of a rotted, yet golden apple." Andie grinned at Gisele, peering over at the map.

"Hey I recognize that place! Its near Bann's Death, east of here. I've never been there, and not many people go there. Be a good place to hide an artifact. But lets not go into something like this blind." Andryanna scribbled the name down and set off to the stacks to find information on Bann's Death. "Its kind of nice to have another mage close to my age to talk to, especially someone who can share in the research."

Returning to the table with her arms ladened with books, Andie set the stack down, watching Gisele. "You spent your life as an apostate? What was that like? Until I came here, I only knew life in the Circle, thankfully we had a massive library and I pretty much spent my time reading or tutoring younger apprentices."

Gisele looked at the map with Andie, "I know that area a bit, more so the areas around it. It should not be too difficult to find, but I'm worried we may need translations once we get there, etchings on stone and the like." She recalled her meeting tomorrow with the Tevinter mages, "can we copy the document so you can keep working on it? I am supposed to meet with the Tevinter Mages that assisted in healing us earlier to have their help with the translation. I don't think it would be wise to deny them an opportunity to look at the documents." Andie nodded and went off to find books related to where they were going, Bann's Death. While she waiting Gisele looked around, getting sleepy from the dim light, and finally feeling the ache of fatigue in her muscles.

An excited Andie returned, armed with books and more books. She was delightful to work with and Gisele was grateful for her company. "I'm very glad to have found you, as well. I've never had much opportunity to discuss magic, especially with another woman. It's a little to conspicuous to travel with another apostate so I was always alone." Gisele took a big sigh, "I think I was meant to follow this quest," she gestured to the documents, "to help find this artifact, yes, but also so that I would no longer be alone. As much good as I think I was doing, healing in remote villages and building a catalogued of techniques for growing in blighted lands, I couldn't do any more good on my own." The smile faded from Gisele's face, "Thank you for helping me." She placed her hand on Andie's, "you have been so generous and kind, thank you. I hope we will be friends."

Andie blushed brightly, "Its no problem, really." She began copying the document over carefully. "Most women my age found me strange and aloof. Even in the Circle. I was always happier around my books and scroll, rather than in the common rooms discussing boys."

She flushed deeper, "Although." Andie looked at the taller woman. "Gisele, what is your experience with boys and men and all that? Cause I have a conundrum and no frame of reference and books have been less than illuminating on the subject."

Andryanna suddenly felt very nervous and decided to bolt from her chair to hide in the stacks, however her foot caught her staff, sending the blond mage tumbling forward with a yelp into her face.

"Oh!" Gisele went to Andie who was now flat on the floor of the library, "Are you okay? Just a small tumble." She helped Andie back up off the floor, "you know, my first and most important training as a mage was to work on my breath and calm my body. It was always helpful, whether with magic, in a fight, or when dealing with... boys." She broke into a big smile. The small blonde mage was her peer in so many ways, but still Gisele was older and had actually been able to experience the world, her life had been so different. Being out of the Circle for the first time must be more than overwhelming. And now being a Warden, interacting with people she would have never met otherwise, and having real serious responsibilities.

"Let's sit and breathe a little." Gisele gestured to the chairs and they returned to their table littered with documents and maps. "I've had some experience with men but I've travelled so much I have not been able to settle down or stay with one person. It was always too risky to stay any one place. There are some that I really loved my time with but..." She looked down thinking of what could have been, small mundane gestures that could have been hers, love, companionship and then took a deep breath to bury it all. "It just hasn't worked out yet for me." She looked back up at Andie, "are you interested in someone?" the smile returning back to her face.

Andie tried to hide in her hair, pulling at the strands with her hands. "I, uh, maybe? I dont know. Theres a mage, hes a Qunari, and I think he likes me, and I kissed him because I was afraid I was going to die." She paused to take a deep breath to keep rambling. "But there is also Tiberius, and hes just so... Just so."

She covered her face with her hands. "I had never even kissed before! And Gwyn, stupid Gwyn, is making it so weird for me, cause how was I suppose to know I was 'flirting' or whatever! I was just being nice! And Tiberius was being nice in the cave and kept me warm cause the cave was so cold and damp."

clutched at her arm is obvious distress. Did the Circle really keep them so innocent? The solution seemed obvious to Gisele, however, "Kisses are wonderful, even if they are not going to lead anywhere. Don't be embarrassed about a kiss, I'm sure he enjoyed it. If you really like Tiberius, then pursue him! He IS very handsome and seems to be a gentleman. Also, it was obvious that he also had feelings for you, touching your hand and the way he looked at you. You have nothing to worry about."

The conversation was delightful, and in the weight of all she had to face that day, this was a welcomed reprieve. She would not say it out loud, but Gisele was happy she could encourage Andie to pursue Tiberius. Advising her to pursue a Qunari would have been difficult, and she wasn't sure if she could advise it. She had never interacted with a Qunari in any meaningful way and knew how most humans distrusted them. "Kissing someone in the heat of the moment happens, its not surprising, and I'm sure the Qunari will understand." She hoped she was right.

"Tiberius likes me? Really? Hes not just being polite?" Andie was in shock, relationships had been greatly discouraged in the Circle, and she wasnt a social person, so it was all new ground for her.

She frowned a little, "Katari is a sweetheart though, he risked a lot to saved a friend of his. Its an admirable trait. And he was really nice to me when I first arrived. Everyone has been."

Andryanna sighed a little, relaxing. "Books and spirits makes so much more sense than, than uh.. whatever this is." She waved her hands into the air.

***

Tiberius trotted up the stairs and into the library, arms full of food. He was unsurprised to see the librarian dozing in his chair again. The old man probably deserved a nap. Andie and Gisele were at the table they had used earlier. Though they had papers spread out in front of them, the two seemed to be more focused on their conversation than their research.

"Dinner is served," he announced, plopping down the fruits of his labor on the table. "Meat pies, cheese, bread... oh, and best of all..." Tiberius produced a flagon of wine with a flourish. "A little bit of the good stuff to keep our spirits high."

Tiberius poured wine into tankards he'd scavenged from the dining hall and pulled up a chair next to Andie. "So, did I miss anything important?"

Andryanna squeaked in surprise. "No! I mean, no nothing is going on. We werent discussing, anything." She looked around the room, pointedly avoiding Tiberius's gaze.

"I need to, uh, um," She looked around frantically for some excuse to flee. "Get new parchment."

Andie set off to the storeroom in the library, tugging her hair towards her face to hide, muttering under her breath. "Dont look back, dont look back, dont look at him."

It was lightning fast, but she glanced back meeting Tiberius's eyes, her face turning bright red as she fled into the storeroom. "This is a feast!" Gisele wasn't sure she had ever eaten such fine food, and for it to be presented so casually! And wine. "Thank you..." Andie began acting strangely again, hiding behind her hair and speaking too softly and quickly for her to hear. Gisele went to reach out and ask if anything was the matter but suddenly she ran off to the store room with her long blonde hair trailing behind her.

Gisele smiled at Tiberius reassuringly, "We've been working furiously and she's been making so much progress on the translation. She's so enthusiastic about her work." Looking toward the storeroom, Gisele realized she would not be returning quickly. Maybe she could be of some help for these two. "Tiberius, you should go help her. Andie has had to go back and forth carrying books this whole time. I'm sure she'll need you to help with them. I'm still trying to figure out something on this map..."

Tiberius left after the small mage and Gisele was alone at the table. Looking at the appetizing food in front of her, she was too distracted to think much about her new aquantances.

Tiberius was perplexed but shrugged at Gisele and set off after Andie. He found a door slightly ajar and pushed it open to reveal a dimly lit room cluttered with dusty parchments, boxes of ink jars, and leather bindings for books. Andie had her hands on a table in the back of the room; Tiberius couldn't see her face but her shoulders were tense and she was breathing deeply.

"Andie, what's wrong?" he asked, gently turning her to face him. There was a pretty blush on her cheeks. She looked so flustered, her crystal blue eyes darting everywhere but refusing to meet his. He suddenly became acutely aware of their closeness, their privacy. Tiberius hesitantly brushed a stray lock of blonde hair from her face. His heart was thrumming in his chest. He found himself speaking before he could think better of it. "Maker's breath, I would really like to kiss you right now."

Andryanna was very aware of Tiberius's fingers on her face, touching her hair and cheek. His dark eyes staring in hers. "I, uh, um." She pressed her cheek into his hand, closing her eyes.

She cleared her throat, "I'm not saying no."

Tiberius took that as a yes. He captured her lips with his, reveling in their softness. One hand caressed her cheek while the other went to her hip, drawing her in closer. Andie was stiff in his arms for a moment before she relaxed into the kiss. Her own hands tentatively explored his chest while the kiss deepened.

It seemed like an eternity of heady moments before they emerged for air. Tiberius smiled, feeling a bit chagrined. He felt he should say something, but what could he say?

She struggled to catch her breath, her fingers tangled in Tiberius's shirt. Andie rested her forehead on his chest, chuckling softly. "This is the moment Gwyn runs in wearing that silly gown, screaming about keeping room for the Maker."

Andie sighed, smiling at him, "Or the Maker would strike us both down or something equally horrible."

She stood on her tiptoes, giving his nose a soft peck. "We should get back before Gisele eats all the food though. I am hungry."

She moved to leave, turning back and holding out her hand for him to take.

***

Gisele was finishing off a second meat pie as Tiberus and Andie emerged from the storeroom and returned to their table in the library. Both appeared somewhat bashful and walked rather close to each other. Gisele smiled at them as they approached, assuming they've initiated their relationship in some way and thinking they were rather cute together. "There is so much darkness in the world," she thought, "they should have some light."

"Sorry, you two," Gisele said as she looked at the table that had previously been full of food, "I was very hungry. Umm... I can go and get us more if you would like. I've never had such delicious food." She kept eating as she was talking, trying to be as neat as possible but she was eating too quickly to not make some type of mess. Just then she felt a wave of nausea, "Oh, I should stop." She placed the bread and cheese she was working on back on the thick wooden table. "Should we continue working? Or maybe get some rest?." She was hoping to get some rest.

"Sounds like a good idea to me!" Andie picked at some bread and cheese, blushing slightly every time she looked over at Tiberius.

"I should check in on Gwyn, we were kind of mean to him. And I am just too frazzled to sit still right now, or try to sleep. I might go and walk the wall for a bit, or something. But I need to be outside."

She looked at the pile of books and papers on the table, shrugging her shoulders and scribbling in big letters TRANSLATION IN PROGRESS DO NOT MOVE! and putting it on top of everything.

"Do you know how to get back to the rooms, Gisele, or should I walk with you?"

Tiberius was glad to hear Gisele suggesting rest. It hadn't been a physically exhausting day, but between Andie's reading lessons, the confrontation with Gwyn, and what had just occurred in the storage closet Tiberius felt worn out. Besides, there was no telling where that kiss might lead or what Andie expected of him. He needed some time to adjust.

"I'm headed back to my quarters. I think Rhita has me on the dawn watch, so I should grab a bit of sleep before then." He glanced at Andie, who was still avoiding his gaze. Probably better to say nothing than something stupid, he thought. "Ah, anyway. Goodnight ladies."

Tiberius left them to find their way to their own beds. He had a bit of a bounce to his step as he headed back to his quarters. He made sure to check over his weapons despite his exhaustion- military habits were second nature to him by now- but soon enough he was able to blow out his candles. The young soldier was asleep as soon as his head hit his pillow.

***

"I can find my way, if you will be coming to the room later," Gisele replied. She left the library, leaving behind the smell of old parchment and candle smoke and descended the stairs toward a main hallway. It was dark out by now, the sky lit by stars and a quarter moon, that she stopped to gaze at momentarily as she crossed the courtyard. Insects were buzzing and the night winds howled at the walls and shutters, and she hugged herself to keep warm as she entered the building once again.

Once she found their room went through her pack, taking out a few items she would need and protectively placed the leather pouch with her documents under her pillow. Unlacing her jerkin, boots, and bracers she finally felt she could breath. She took off the rest of her clothing and beat them out by the window to remove any sand that remained, then braided her hair and snuck under the blanket on her cot. It wasn't a large or luxurious bed but it was the most comfortable thing Gisele had ever slept on. Drifting off she fell asleep feeling like a queen.


End file.
